Reenforced-concrete tie



w. GRAHAM. RE'ENFORCED CONCRETE TIEI APPLICATION FILED NOVx 26,1919.

2. 2. 9b 1T .9H 4H 1iA` hm E um d2 e t m u P W. GR-AHAM.

REENFORCED CONCRETE TIE.

APPLICATION man Nov,2e,1919.

1,406,454, Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETSAHEET 2'.

@3M 30ML, mmabrfx UNITED -STATES WILLIE GRAHAM, 0F NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA REENFORGED-CONCRETE TIE.

Specification of Letters Batent. Patented Febr. y14, 1922.

Application led November 26, 1,919: Serial- No. 340,831.

To all whom, t may concern: y

Be it known that I, VVILLin GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, and-residing at New Orleans, Orleans` Parish, State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ReenforcedeCon-k crete Ties, of which-the following iication.

` This invention relates-tov reeniorced` concrete railroad ties. Its objects are to increase the strength., elasticity andv lasting qualities, while reducing the weight and' cost over previously used ties. .and` to furnish means which will, more` satisfactorily sup port the rails and provide a greater bearing surface for the railsl and cause easy running of trainsover the track. My tie furthermore permits more pertect drainage and better preservation of the road bed than the ordi-nary ties. The. novel featuresI will be apparent from the following description, taken in` connection with the drawings. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is-a plan View of, a railroad tie emis a speci- V bodying -my invention Fig, 2 is a sideview of the same tie;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the tie;

Fig. 4L is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross section onthe, line 5 5 of Figure 1, showing the rail however in sidev elevation;

Fig, 6 'is a perspective view of` one end of the tie embodying my improvement.; and

Fig. 7- is ark detailed sectional` view of a modified means for securing the rail to the tie.

As shown inthe drawings, my tie embodies a straight longitudinalportion 10 made of concrete and preferably of uniform cross section except for the upper ti ai, endsl which are slightly inclined. Been orcing steel rods 11 and 12 pass longitudinally` through the tie from end to end near the outer margin having a cross connection 13. The rod 11, aswill be seen, is in the upper portionof the tie, whereas the rod 12, is near the bottom edge, thus thoroughly reenforcing they entire tie. The tie also has crossportions 14 and 15 which project ony opposite sidesofthe longitudinal portion symmetrically, and these cross portions are placed at the proper distances apart to receive the railroad` rails 16. The lateral projecting portions of these cross` pieces are preferably made of substantially the same size as the longitudinal portion in cross section, except that Where they join the longitudinal portion theL nia terial is increased somewhat on the sides tio make them meet the longitudinal portion at an angle of substantially 45, thus broademng the projection somewhat. Embedded in these cross portions are steel reenforcing rods; 17, 18 and they extend generally in a direction longitudinally of the cross section, passing along one side near the margin acrosstheend and back along the other side and across the other end- The rod 17 is preferably arranged, so as to.y cross the rod 11 a littlebelow it and the rod 18 crosses the rod 12 onv its upper side, and it will be seen by reference to Figure 3, that` the rods 17 and 1 8 are bent; inwardly towards eachother as they enter and cross the` longitudinal portion of the tie..

yThe cross. portions 14. and 15 are made alike and, thereforea descriptiono one will suficefor both. A marginal wall 19 of concrete integral with the main body of the tie projects. upwardly above the main bodyof the tie, andy serves to form a` recessed depression., or chamber in the top of `the crosssec, tion. and extending. across. the longitudinal section. The, side wallsilare outwardly at .20 where the cross section joins4 the main body, of the tie` and then cross the tie on .a

the chamberor receptacle somewhat broader over. thevr tie. itself. Within` the chamber 22 formedasabove described, there is a fiat bottom central groove or depression 23 which extends. longitudinally of the main body of the tiebut which. isy not quite so wide `as the tie. There may be also formed in the maV- terial a groove 24:1, extending longitudinally withinthe .chamber 22 at` rightl angles tothe mainy body of the tie for the purpose of drainage, and a similar groove or depression 25.1nay be arranged in the bottom of the groove, 23at right anglesto groove 24and it: may discharge through the marginalwall .straight line, as shownat 21, thus making of the kchamber at 2G over the top .of the tie,

and to one side. This permits the drainage gf any waterwhich may collect inthe cham- Bolt holes 27v and 28 are placed on opposite sidesof the center line of the cross portion 15. at, sufficient distances from that center line to receive, aY railroad rail of one size or weight. andbolt. holes 29 and 30 may also be formed through the tie from the bottom ot the groove 23, spaced a different distance from the center line to take rails of a different width or weight. a

In using the tiecushioning blocks 31 and 32 which are preferably made of flat-,strips of wood which are comparatively thinare,

placed in the laterally projecting :portions ofthe chamber 22 so as to serve as a yielding or cushioning support for lthe rail 16 and prevent undue wear on the concrete tie. A separate cushioning bloclr3`-ofwood :is placed in the groove 23 and practicallylill's it extending longitudinallyy of the tie, and this block together with the other two cushioning blocks furnish an 'extended supporting surface for the rail. Above 'the cushioning block 33"and flat against it'is placed the tie plate 34 of metal, and'tliis tie plate as well as the cushioning lblock 33 is provided with boltholes corresponding to the holes 27p, ,28, 29` and 30 in the tie.` `A metal nut plate 35 is secured in place at the under surface of the tie preferably by being embedded7 as sliownlin Figure 4, with its bottom surface flush with' the bottom of the tie, and it has screw threadedopenings 36 corresponding tothe openingsheretofore mentioned through'tlie tie. lBoltsBk having screw threaded lower ends may pass through n the tie plate cushioning block 33 andthe tie and engage the nut `plate ,35 and, 'as shown in Figure l, the heads of these bolts may engage over the flange on therail 1'6 to securely hold it in place.4 It will be ob# served by reference to Figures 4 and 5 that the grooves in the chamber 23 have afslight incline downwardly towards the` center por tion where the bolts 37 pass through the tie, and where the discharge opening 26 for any water, is connected. This serves two purposes, one being to discharge water which may collect in the chamber, and the.

other is to permit theproper application of creosote or other wood preserver insuch a way as to make the wooden portions of the structure more waterproof'and lasting. In applying the wood preserver, the outlet 26 may be temporarily closedin an obvious way, and the material placed iny the chamber will be thoroughly distributedwnot only over` the wood surfaces, but vdown and around the bolts and nuts to preserve them. It is to be noted further lthat the bolts 37 pass down through thetie just inside the longitudinal reenforcing rods 11 and outside of the cross reenforcing rods 17 and 18. This furnishes a" very strong structure where the strains are properly distributed. This construction of tie permits using one of comparatively small cross section, and permits placing them at proper distances apart while furnishing" a comparatively reducing the vacant spaces and givingy a better and more firm support to the rail.

1,406,454y Y, s

drainage and makes the matter of tamping the tie inthe road bed easier and more certain7 since there are more exterior surfaces exposed forthe purpose.

ln Figure 7 l have shown a modified form of 4,fastening which may be substituted for that shown in Figure il, and it consists of Vbolts 33 having the. ordinary head 39 with a washer 4110 engaging the flange of the rail 16, and passing-'through the tie 10 and engaging a nut ll'einbedded in the bottom of the tie. lt will be noted that in this case `the nut is used in place of the nut plate 35,

but the preferred form is shown in Figure il et; lt will be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular form or detailsshown, and that various changes may be 'made without departing from my ideas.

' Having thus'described the invention what .is claimed as new and desired to `be secured by Letters Patent is 1l. A reenforced concrete railroad tie having in its upper surface a transversely extending op'en top receptacle or chamber Yadapted to receive substantially flat cushioning blocks and being provided with substanv tially upright surrounding walls andwith a recess or chamber adapted to receive cushioning blocks.V

3. A railroad tie comprising a re'enforced concrete longitudinal portion and similar integral reenforced concrete cross portions properly spaced toy receive the rails and provjectin'g from opposite sides, a marginal upstanding wall on each of said cross portions extending across the longitudinal portion forming an open top recess or chamber adapted to receive cushioning blocks, the

said tie being provided with a drain passage leading from the bottom of said chamber.

"4. A railroad tie comprising a reenforced concrete longitudinal portion and a similar integral reenforced concrete cross portion projecting from oppositelsides, a marginal `wall on said projecting cross portions and connecting walls across said longitudinal portion forming an open Vtop recess or chamber, the central portion of which over the longitudinal portion being deeper than the side portions and being provided with bolt 'holes extending through to the bottom of the long supporting surface for the Vrail` thus tie, and with a drain opening. t

'Y 5. A railroad tie comprising a reenforced concret-e longitudinal portion and a similar This arrangement further permits easy integral reenforced concrete cross portion projecting from opposite sides, the said projections being enlarged laterally Where they join the longitudinal section, marginal Walls for said projecting portions and connecting walls across the longitudinal portion extending above the main body of the tie and forming a depression or chamber With side Walls Widest at the center to receive flat cushioning blocks for the rail, the said chamber being provided in its central part over the longitudinal portion With a flat bottom longitudinal groove With properly spaced bolt openings therein extending through the tie.

6. A railroad tie comprising a concrete longitudinal portion having therein spaced longitudinal reenforcing metal rods and a concrete cross portion projectinor from opposite sides provided with spaced longitudinal reenforcing rods crossing the longitudinal portion, means for holding a cushioning block and metal tie plate in place on said tie at the cross portion to receive the rail, a bottom plate of metal at the lower surface of said tie at the cross portion, the said tie and bottom plate being provided With matching holes passing through the tie between the reenforoing rods and outside of the reenforcing rods of the cross portions to receive means for connecting the rail to the bottom plate holding the rail in place.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature.

WILLIE GRAHAM. 

